Heat-dissipating device

ABSTRACT

A heat-dissipating device includes a base and a heat pipe. One side of the base is provided with an accommodating trough for accommodating the heat pipe. The heat pipe has a first heat-absorbing section, a second heat-absorbing section, a third heat-absorbing section provided between the first heat-absorbing section and the second heat-absorbing section, a first heat transfer section, and a second heat transfer section. The first, second and third heat-absorbing sections conduct the heat to the first and second heat transfer sections, and thus the heat-dissipating effect of the present invention is improved greatly.

This application claims the priority benefit of Taiwan patentapplication number 100149716 filed on Dec. 30, 2011.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a heat-dissipating device, and inparticular to a heat-dissipating which has an improved heat transferefficiency and overcomes the problem of prior art that the heat transferefficiency at inactive ends of the conventional heat pipe is poor.

2. Description of Prior Art

As a heat sink for dissipating the heat generated by an electronicelement (such as CPU or other processing unit), a base is used as aheat-conducting part brought into thermal contact with the electronicelement. When the base is brought into thermal contact with theelectronic element, however, only a central region of the bottom surfaceof the base is brought into thermal contact with the electronic element,so that the heat transfer capacity of the base is limited. As a result,the heat generated by the electronic element cannot be transferred fromthe central region of the base to the whole base rapidly, which makesthe heat transfer efficiency of the base undesirably low. Thus, thoseskilled in this industry try to propose a heat sink capable ofovercoming the above problem in the conventional base.

Please refer to FIGS. 1A, 1B and 1C. The conventional heat sink 1comprises a base 10 and a plurality of heat pipes 12. The base 10 has anaccommodating trough 101 and a hole 102. The accommodating trough 101 isprovided on one side of the base 10 for allowing the heat pipe 12 to bereceived therein. The hole 102 is provided on the other side of the base10 in communication with the accommodating trough 101. The hole 102 isconfigured to allow a heat-generating element 14 (such as a centralprocessing unit, a graphic chip, a south/north bridge chip or otherchips capable of performing operations) to be received therein, so thatthe heat-generating element 14 can be adhered to the heat pipe 12.

The first heat pipe 121 is received in the central region of the base10. A middle section 1211 of the first heat pipe 121 faces the hole 102.Both ends 1213 of the first heat pipe 121 extend toward two oppositeside edges of the base 10 respectively. A middle section 1221 of thesecond heat pipe 122 and a middle section 1231 of the third heat pipe123 are provided adjacent to both sides of the first heat pipe 121 toface the hole 102 respectively. Both ends 1223 of the second heat pipe122 and both ends 1233 of the third heat pipe 123 extend toward twoother opposite side edges of the base 10.

When the heat-generating element 14 generates heat, the middle sections1211, 1221, 1231 of the first, second, third heat pipe 121, 122, 123absorb the heat and conduct the heat to both ends 1213, 1223, 1233 ofthe first, second and third heat pipe 121, 122, 123. In this way, theheat can be conducted to the edge of the base 10 uniformly, and the heattransfer efficiency of the heat sink is good.

Although both ends 1213, 1223, 1233 of the heat pipes 12 are configuredto increase the heat transfer efficiency of the heat pipe 12, theheat-dissipating effect of the heat sink 1 is insufficient. This isbecause both ends 1212, 1223, 1233 of the first, second, third heatpipes 121, 122, 123 are the portions with the worst heat transferefficiency. Further, a portion of working fluid in the heat pipes 12 isprone to stay in both ends 1213, 1223, 1233 to become inactive ends. Asa result, in practice, the heat cannot be conducted to the side edges ofthe base 10, which deteriorates the heat transfer efficiency. Thus, theheat-dissipating efficiency of the heat sink is poor.

According to the above, the conventional heat sink has the followingproblems:

(I) the ends of the conventional heat pipe become inactive ends; and

(II) the heat transfer efficiency is insufficient.

Therefore, it is an important issue for the present Inventor to solvethe problems and drawbacks in prior art.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In order to solve the above problems, an objective of the presentinvention is to provide a heat-dissipating device which has improvedheat transfer efficiency (or heat-conducting efficiency) and overcomesthe problem that the heat transfer effect at inactive ends of the heatpipe is poor.

In order to achieve the above objective, the present invention is toprovide a heat-dissipating device including a base and a heat pipe. Thebase has an accommodating trough. The accommodating trough is providedon one side of the base. The heat pipe is received in the accommodatingtrough. The heat pipe has a first heat-absorbing section, a secondheat-absorbing section, a third heat-absorbing section, a first heattransfer section and a second heat transfer section. The thirdheat-absorbing section is provided between the first heat-absorbingsection and a second heat-absorbing section. The first heat transfersection is bent outwardly from one end of the first heat-absorbingsection and extends to one end of the third heat-absorbing sectionadjacent to the other end of the first heat-absorbing section. Thesecond heat transfer section is bent outwardly from the other end of thethird heat-absorbing section and extends to one end of the secondheat-absorbing section adjacent to one end of the third heat-absorbingsection. Thus, by this arrangement, the heat-dissipating device of thepresent invention has improved heat transfer efficiency and overcomesthe problem that the heat transfer effect at inactive ends of the heatpipe is poor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is an exploded perspective view of prior art;

FIG. 1B is another exploded perspective view of prior art;

FIG. 1C is an assembled perspective view of prior art;

FIG. 2 is an assembled perspective view showing a first preferredembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the first preferredembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an assembled perspective view showing a second preferredembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing the second preferredembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is an assembled perspective view showing a third preferredembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view showing the third preferredembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is an assembled perspective view showing a fourth preferredembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view showing the fourth preferredembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is an assembled perspective view showing a fifth preferredembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view showing the fifth preferredembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 12 is an assembled perspective view showing a sixth preferredembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view showing the sixth preferredembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 14A is an assembled perspective view showing a seventh preferredembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 14B is a partially cross-sectional perspective view showing theseventh preferred embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 15 is an exploded perspective view showing the seventh preferredembodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The above objectives and structural and functional features of thepresent invention will be described in more detail with reference topreferred embodiment thereof shown in the accompanying drawings

The present invention is directed to a heat-dissipating device. Pleaserefer to FIGS. 2 and 3.

FIG. 2 is an assembled perspective view showing the first preferredembodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is an explodedperspective view showing the first preferred embodiment of the presentinvention. The heat-dissipating device 2 includes a base 21 and a heatpipe 23. The base 21 has an accommodating trough 210. The accommodatingtrough 210 is provided on one side of the base 21 with a shapecorresponding to that of the heat pipe 23. The way of providing the heatpipe 23 in the accommodating trough 210 is achieved by any one oftight-fitting, welding, wedging and gluing.

The heat pipe 23 is received in the accommodating trough 210. The heatpipe 23 has a first heat-absorbing section 2311, a second heat-absorbingsection 2312, a third heat-absorbing section 2313, a first heat transfersection 2321, and a second heat transfer section 2322. The thirdheat-absorbing section 2313 is provided between the first heat-absorbingsection 2311 and the second heat-absorbing section 2312. The first heattransfer section 2321 and the second heat transfer section 2322 are bentto be located outside the first heat-absorbing section 2311 and thesecond heat-absorbing section 2312 respectively. That is, the first heattransfer section 2321 is bent outwardly from one end of the firstheat-absorbing section 2311 and extends to one end of the thirdheat-absorbing section 2313 adjacent to the other end of the firstheat-absorbing section 2311. The second heat transfer section 2322 isbent outwardly from the other end of the third heat-absorbing section2313 and extends to one end of the second heat-absorbing section 2312adjacent to one end of the third heat-absorbing section 2313. By thisarrangement, the heat pipe 23 is configured to have a “8” shape or “S”shape as shown in FIG. 2. In other words, the first heat-absorbingsection 2311, the second heat-absorbing section 2312, the thirdheat-absorbing section 2313, the first heat transfer section 2321, andthe second heat transfer section 2322 together form the heat pipe 23.

Please refer to FIG. 3. The first heat-absorbing section 2311, thesecond heat-absorbing section 2312, and the heat-absorbing section 2313together define the heat-absorbing portion 231. The first heat transfersection 2321 and the second heat-absorbing section 2322 together definea heat transfer portion 232. One side of the heat-absorbing portion 231opposite to the accommodating trough 210 is adhered to a heat-generatingelement 3 (such as a central processor, a graphic chip, a south/northbridge chip or other processing chips) for absorbing the heat generatedby the heat-generating element 3 and conducting the heat to the heattransfer portion 232. In this way, the heat can be spread to the wholebase 21 uniformly and rapidly. Thus, the heat transfer efficiency isincreased, and the problem that the heat transfer efficiency at inactiveends of the heat pipe 23 is poor can be overcome.

Since the base 21 and the heat pipe 23 are combined with each other toform one body, the heat-dissipating device 2 of the present inventionhas an improved heat-dissipating effect and overcomes the problem thatthe heat transfer efficiency at the inactive ends of the heat pipe 23 ispoor.

Please refer to FIGS. 4 and 5, which are an assembled perspective viewand an exploded perspective view of the second embodiment of the presentinvention respectively. The structural relationship and connection ofthe second embodiment are substantially the same as those of the firstembodiment, so that the redundant description is omitted for simplicity.The difference between the second embodiment and the first embodimentlies in that: the other side of the base 21 is connected to aheat-dissipating unit 5. In the present embodiment, the heat-dissipatingunit 5 is embedded as a heat-dissipating fin set, but it is not limitedthereto. Alternatively, a plurality of heat-dissipating fins is used toform a heat sink. Further, the base 21 is combined with a fan (notshown) alone, or the combination of the base 21 and the heat-dissipatingunit 5 is combined with a fan, thereby increasing the heat-dissipatingeffect.

The way of connecting the other side of the base 21 to theheat-dissipating unit 5 may be achieved by any one of tight-fitting,welding, wedging and gluing.

Thus, the heat conducted to the base 21 from the heat pipe 23 can bedissipated to the outside rapidly via the heat-dissipating fin set,thereby achieving an excellent heat-dissipating effect.

Please refer to FIGS. 6 and 7, which are an assembled perspective viewand an exploded perspective view of the third embodiment of the presentinvention respectively. The structural relationship and connection ofthe third embodiment are substantially the same as those of the firstembodiment, so that the redundant description is omitted for simplicity.The difference between the third embodiment and the first embodimentlies in that: the base 21 is provided with a hole 211. The hole 211 isprovided on the other side of the base 21. That is, the hole 211 isformed at the center of the other side of the base 21 and incommunication with the accommodating trough 210.

Further, in the first embodiment, one side of the heat-absorbing portion231 opposite to the accommodating trough 210 is adhered to theheat-generating element 3 directly. However, in the third embodiment,one side of the heat-absorbing portion 231 opposite to the accommodatingtrough 210 is connected to a heat-dissipating unit 5, and the side ofthe heat-absorbing portion 231 adjacent to the accommodating trough 210is used to absorb the heat. As shown in FIG. 7, a heat-conducting piece4 is received in the hole 211. The heat-conducting piece 4 is made ofmetallic piece and has excellent heat-absorbing and heat-conductingeffects.

Moreover, one side of the heat-conducting piece 4 is adhered to one sideof the heat-absorbing portion 231 (i.e. one side of the heat-absorbingportion 231 adjacent to the accommodating trough 210). The other side ofthe heat-conducting piece 4 is in flush with the other side of the base21 and adhered to the heat-generating element 3 for conducting the heatfrom the heat-generating element 3 to the heat-absorbing portion 231 ofthe heat pipe 23. Then, the heat-absorbing portion 231 conducts the heatto the heat transfer portion 232 to thereby spread the heat on the wholebase 21 uniformly and rapidly. Thereafter, the heat-dissipating unit 5dissipates the heat from the base 21 and the heat pipe 23 to the outsiderapidly, thereby improving the heat-dissipating effect of theheat-dissipating device greatly.

One side of the base 21 is connected to one side of the heat-dissipatingunit 5 by means of welding, gluing or wedging. The heat-absorbingportion 231 and the heat transfer portion 232 of the heat pipe 23 areadhered to one side of the heat-dissipating unit 5. The heat-dissipatingunit 5 is a heat sink or heat-dissipating fin set constituted of aplurality of heat-dissipating fins. Further, the base 21 is combinedwith a fan (not shown) alone, or the combination of the base 21 and theheat-dissipating unit 5 is combined with a fan, thereby increasing theheat-dissipating effect.

Please refer to FIGS. 8 and 9, which are an assembled perspective viewand an exploded perspective view of the fourth embodiment of the presentinvention respectively. The structural relationship and connection ofthe fourth embodiment are substantially the same as those of the firstembodiment, so that the redundant description is omitted for simplicity.The difference between the fourth embodiment and the first embodimentare as follows. In the first embodiment one side of the heat-absorbingportion 231 opposite to the accommodating trough 210 is adhered to theheat-generating element 3 directly. In the fourth embodiment, one sideof the heat-absorbing portion 231 opposite to the accommodating trough210 is connected to a heat-dissipating unit 5, and the accommodatingtrough 210 is a through trough in communication with the base 21.

The accommodating trough 210 is a through trough from one side of thebase 21 to the other side of the base 21. The heat pipe 23 is tightlyfitted in the accommodating trough 210. One side and the other side ofthe heat pipe 23 are in flush with one side and the other side of thebase 21 respectively. One side of the heat-absorbing portion 231adjacent to the accommodating trough 210 is adhered to theheat-generating element 3. Then, the heat-absorbing portion 231 of theheat pipe 23 transfers the heat of the heat-generating element 3 to theheat transfer portion 232 to thereby spread the heat on the whole base21 uniformly and rapidly. Thereafter, the heat-dissipating unit 5dissipates the heat from the base 21 and the heat pipe 23 to the outsiderapidly, thereby improving the heat-dissipating effect of theheat-dissipating device greatly.

Please refer to FIGS. 10 and 11, which are an assembled perspective viewand an exploded perspective view of the fifth embodiment of the presentinvention respectively. The structural relationship and connection ofthe fifth embodiment are substantially the same as those of the thirdembodiment. The difference between the fifth embodiment and the thirdembodiment are as follows. According to the present embodiment, theheat-dissipating unit 5 shown in the third embodiment is modified as acover 27. That is, one side of the base 21 is connected to a cover 27.The cover 27 is provided with a first side 271 and a second side 272opposite to the first side 271. The first side 271 is adhered to oneside of the base 21 for closing the heat pipe 23.

In practice, according to the installation space and the demand forheat-dissipating or heat-conducting effect, a user can make the secondside 272 of the cover 27 to be adhered to the heat-dissipating unit(such as a heat sink not shown in the figure) or a heat-conducting pipe(not shown). In this way, the heat absorbed by the cover 27 can bedissipated to the outside or conducted to a remote place to therebyachieve an excellent heat-dissipating effect.

Please refer to FIGS. 12 and 13, which are an assembled perspective viewand an exploded perspective view of the sixth embodiment of the presentinvention respectively. The structural relationship and connection ofthe sixth embodiment are substantially the same as those of the fifthembodiment, and thus the redundant description is omitted herein forsimplicity. The difference between the sixth embodiment and the fifthembodiment are as follows. The cover 27 is provided with a plurality ofheat-dissipating fins 274. The heat-dissipating fins 274 extend axiallyfrom the second side 272 of the cover 27 for dissipating the heat of thecover 27 coming from the heat pipe 23 to the outside rapidly. Further, afan (not shown) may be assembled to the heat-dissipating fins 274 toimprove the heat-dissipating effect greatly.

In addition to transfer the heat along a horizontal direction of thebase 21, the heat pipe 23 can also transfer the heat in a verticaldirections of the base 21 toward the cover 27. In this way, the heattransferred to the cover 27 can be dissipated to the outside rapidly viathe heat-dissipating fins 274, thereby increasing the heat-dissipatingeffect greatly.

Please refer to FIGS. 14A, 14B and 15, which are an assembledperspective view, a partially cross-sectional view, and an explodedperspective view of the seventh embodiment of the present inventionrespectively. The structural relationship and connection of the seventhembodiment are substantially the same as those of the sixth embodiment.The difference between the seventh embodiment and the sixth embodimentare as follows. In the present embodiment, one side of the heat pipe 23is planar, and the other side of the heat pipe 23 is non-planar.Further, the accommodating trough 210 has a closed side 2102 with ashape corresponding to the shape of the non-planar side. As shown inFIG. 15, the accommodating trough 210 is provided with an open side 2101and a closed side 2102 opposite to the open side 2101. The open side2101 and the closed side 2102 together define the accommodating trough210. The heat-absorbing portion 231 of the heat pipe 23 has a first sidesurface 2315 and a second side surface 2316 opposite to the first sidesurface 2315.

The heat transfer portion 232 has a third side surface 2324 and a fourthside surface 2325 opposite to the third side surface 2324. The firstside surface 2315 and the third side surface 2324 are located on theplanar side of the heat pipe 23. The first side surface 2315 is adheredto the heat-generating element 3 directly. The second side surface 2316and the fourth side surface 2325 are provided on the non-planar side ofthe heat pipe 23. In the present embodiment, the second side surface2316 and the fourth side surface 2325 are adhered to the closed side2102 to form a heat pipe with a D-shaped cross section.

In practice, according to the user's demand, the none-planar side (i.e.the second side surface 2316 and the fourth side surface 2325) of theheat pipe 23 may be configured to have a D-shaped, semi-curved, orrectangular cross section, and then the shape of the closed side 2102 ofthe accommodating trough 210 is adjusted accordingly. In other words,the shape of the closed side 2102 corresponds to the shape of thecombination of the second side surface 2316 and the fourth side surface2325.

According to the above, the present invention has the followingadvantageous features:

(I) it has an improved heat transfer efficiency;

(II) the problem that the heat transfer effect at inactive ends of theheat pipe is poor is overcome; and

(III) it has an improved heat-dissipating effect.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to theforegoing preferred embodiments, it will be understood that theinvention is not limited to the details thereof. Various equivalentvariations and modifications can still occur to those skilled in thisart in view of the teachings of the present invention. Thus, all suchvariations and equivalent modifications are also embraced within thescope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A heat-dissipating device, including: a basehaving an accommodating trough, the accommodating trough being providedon one side of the base; and a heat pipe received in the accommodatingtrough, the heat pipe having a first heat-absorbing section, a secondheat-absorbing section, a third heat-absorbing section, a first heattransfer section, and a second heat transfer section, the thirdheat-absorbing section being provided between the first heat-absorbingsection and the second heat-absorbing section, the first heat transfersection being bent outwardly from one end of the first heat-absorbingsection and extending to one end of the third heat-absorbing sectionadjacent to the other end of the first heat-absorbing section, thesecond heat transfer section being bent outwardly from the other end ofthe third heat-absorbing section and extending to one end of the secondheat-absorbing section adjacent to one end of the third heat-absorbingsection.
 2. The heat-dissipating device according to claim 1, whereinthe first heat-absorbing section, the second heat-absorbing section andthe third heat-absorbing section together define a heat-absorbingportion, the first heat transfer section and the second heat transfersection define a heat transfer portion.
 3. The heat-dissipating deviceaccording to claim 2, wherein the base is further provided with a hole,the hole is provided on the other side of the base and in communicationwith the accommodating trough.
 4. The heat-dissipating device accordingto claim 3, wherein a heat-conducting piece is received in the hole, oneside of the heat-conducting piece is adhered to one side of theheat-absorbing portion, the other side of the heat-conducting piece isadhered to a heat-generating element.
 5. The heat-dissipating deviceaccording to claim 2 wherein the accommodating trough is a throughtrough from one side of the base to the other side of the base, one sideand the other side of the heat pipe are in flush with one side and theother side of the base respectively.
 6. The heat-dissipating deviceaccording to claim 2, wherein the base is connected to a cover, thecover is provided with a first side and a second side opposite to thefirst side, the first side is adhered to one side of the base to closethe heat pipe.
 7. The heat-dissipating device according to claim 6,wherein the cover is provided with a plurality of heat-dissipating finsextending axially from the second side.
 8. The heat-dissipating deviceaccording to claim 4, wherein one side of the base is connected to aheat-dissipating unit, the heat-dissipating unit is a heat sink orheat-dissipating fin set having a plurality of heat-dissipating fins. 9.The heat-dissipating device according to claim 2, wherein the other sideof the base is connected to a heat-dissipating unit, theheat-dissipating unit is a heat sink or heat-dissipating fin set havinga plurality of heat-dissipating fins.
 10. The heat-dissipating deviceaccording to claim 5, wherein the other side of the base is connected toa heat-dissipating unit, the heat-dissipating unit is a heat sink orheat-dissipating fin set having a plurality of heat-dissipating fins.11. The heat-dissipating device according to claim 1, wherein the firstheat-absorbing section, the second heat-absorbing section, the thirdheat-absorbing section, the first heat transfer section, and the secondheat transfer section together form the heat pipe.
 12. Theheat-dissipating device according to claim 2, wherein the accommodatingtrough is provided with an open side and a closed side, the open sideand the closed side together define the accommodating trough.
 13. Theheat-dissipating device according to claim 11, wherein theheat-absorbing portion has a first side surface and a second sidesurface, the heat transfer portion has a third side surface and a fourthside surface opposite to the third side surface, the second side surfaceand the fourth side surface are adhered to the closed side.
 14. Theheat-dissipating device according to claim 12, wherein the second sidesurface and the fourth side surface enclose a D-shaped cross section,the shape of the closed side corresponds to the shape of the combinationof the second side surface and the fourth side surface.
 15. Theheat-dissipating device according to claim 1, wherein the heat pipe isformed into a “8” shape or “S” shape.
 16. The heat-dissipating deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein the shape of the accommodating troughcorresponds to the shape of the heat pipe.
 17. The heat-dissipatingdevice according to claim 1, wherein the heat pipe is received in theaccommodating trough by any one of tight-fitting, welding, wedging andgluing.